These prayers are new to me. Hopefully they will be to you, too. I found them in the book A Manual of Practical Devotion to St. Joseph by Fr. Patrignani, SJ. The book is a veritable bible of means of practicing devotion to St. Joseph. I have found it edifying to read, as someone who trusts immensely in the intercession and spiritual guidance of St. Joseph.

A Prayer for Purity

O holy St. Joseph, father and guardian of virgins, to whose fidelity was confided Jesus, innocence itself, and Mary, the Virgin of virgins; I supplicate myself and conjure you, through Jesus and Mary, this sacred deposit which is so dear to your heart, to grant that, preserved from all sin, and perfectly pure in mind, heart, and body, I may have the happiness of always serving Jesus and Mary very faithfully. Amen.

Ejaculatory Prayer

Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, I give you my heart and my life. Jesus, Joseph and Mary, assist me in my last agony. Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, grant that I may die in your holy company. (three hundred day’s indulgence, applicable to the souls in Purgatory)

Prayer for a person with a laborious occupation:

Blessed Joseph, who have passed your life in the painful labors of a humble profession, I take you as my model and my protector. Obtain for me that I may bear patiently the pains and fatigues of my state, that, like you, sanctifying my labors, I may merit a crown in Heaven. Amen.

Prayer to Implore the Protection of St. Joseph

What consolation do I feel, O my admirable and powerful protector, in hearing your servant, St. Teresa, assure us that no one ever invoked you in vain, and that all those who have a true devotion to you, and who seek your help with confidence, are always heard! Animated with a like confidence, I have recourse to you, O worthy spouse of the Virgin of virgins; I take refuge at your feet; and a sinner though I am, I dare to present myself tremblingly to you. Do not reject my humble prayers, O you that have borne the glorious name of Father of Jesus, listen favorably to them, and deign to intercede with Him who has been wiling to be called your Son, and Who has always honored you as His father. Amen.

Act of Consecration to St. Joseph

O blessed St. Joseph, I consecrate myself to your honor, and give myself entirely to you. Be always my father, my protector, and my guide, in the way of salvation. Obtain for me a great purity of heart, and a practical love of the interior life. After your example, may I do all my actions for the greater glory of God, in union with the divine hearts of Jesus and Mary. And, in fine, deign, blessed Joseph, to make me participate in the delights of your holy death. Amen.

“Christ of the Fishermen.” Reader LaGallina sent me the following description of a beautiful bit of Catholic culture, placed where the Brownsville Ship Channel meets the Gulf of Mexico (roughly).

From La Gallina:

The statue is called “el Cristo de los Pescadores” and is turned slightly to face the channel and greet the shrimp boats when they are coming back to shore. A Brownsville family brought this from Italy back in the 90s (I think) after they won a settlement with the shrimp boat company after their two sons were killed on the boat. They also hold a huge party on the grounds around the statue which includes a public rosary (with a gigantic rosary made by an elderly gent from Port Isabel), catered food for everyone (invited or not), fireworks, and of course the ever-present “matachines.” (Do you think the bishops before Vatican 2 had matachines dancers at their Catholic events?)

No, I don’t think so.

LaGallina also apprised me of Francis’ elevation of a Father Mario Alberto Aviles to be auxiliary Bishop of Brownsville. This is noteworthy for the fact that Fr. Aviles comes from the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, which operates one of the few “canonically regular” TLM in the Rio Grande Valley area (the only other one of which I am aware is at the Brownsville cathedral, if that one is still going. Perhaps LaGallina can confirm).

Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville is reputed to be pretty solidly orthodox and relatively friendly to the TLM. Coming from a branch of the Oratorians based mostly in northern Mexico which is widely known for its liturgical and doctrinal orthodoxy (though it is quite small), it may be hoped that Bishop-elect Aviles may increase this disposition even more. I know several readers who have assisted at the St. Jude Thaddeus parish in Pfarr administered by the Oratorians, and they all speak highly of the beautiful TLM and solid catechesis offered there.

However, it should be noted that Bishop-elect Aviles hasn’t been pastor of St. Jude Thaddeus for 15 years, so I cannot really speak to his personal qualities or adherence to tradition. I am told he seems down to earth and pretty solid overall.

Now, El Cristo de los Pescadores. Very nice:

Statues like this, and even entire parishes, have long been dedicated to Catholic mariners in major ports around the world. For my money, one of the most beautiful parishes in the world, Our Lady of Bon Succours in Montreal, has a heavy nautical emphasis and a close association with the maritime trades. Why, several of the Apostles including St. Peter were, of course, pescadores, themselves.

It’s another aspect of the still heartbreakingly deteriorating Catholic culture that deserves widespread revival. Good on the family for dedicating a lovely statue like this to the shrimpers and other seafarers of the south Texas coast.

From a long book called A Manual of Practical Devotion to St. Joseph by Fr. Patrignani, SJ (don’t worry, the book was published in 1865, a centuryforty years before the Jesuits lost their minds), some excerpts from pp. 48-51 on the benefits of cultivating a strong devotion to St. Joseph. I know I have extolled the virtues of such devotion on many occasions, but it never hurts to hear a reminder. From personal experience, I can attest to the incredible efficacy of St. Joseph’s intercession in numerous matters, but especially those related closely to the family and raising of children. I pray you find this little meditation useful! It also contains discussion on turning to Saint Joseph as both a model and intercessor for a successful Catholic marriage. Would that more couples had made recourse to such devotion over the past 60 years or so, the Church (and world) would not be in the terrible shape it is in, where the Catholic (or “Catholic”) divorce rate exceeds that of the general population!

At any rate, begin excerpt:

The world may be compared to a vast ocean, agitated by a tempest, and the most dangerous rock within its bosom is the marriage state, for scarcely a day passes on which we do not therein witness some new wreck; whence it follows, that those who are exposed to such a danger, would require a good pilot to conduct them safely into port; and where meet a more experienced one than our glorious Saint, who, in accordance with the designs of God, embraced that state, and is a model for those who desire to render it conducive both to their temporal and their eternal welfare? Scripture informs us that the patriarch Joseph brought down the benediction of Heaven not only on Potiphar’s household, but also on Pharaoh’s court and the entire kingdom. This prosperity continued as long as the king followed the advice of Joseph, his prime minister; but when, on the accession of a new sovereign, Joseph was dismissed from office, how changed was the scene! “A new king over Egypt, that knew not Joseph” (Ex i).

Does not this metaphor clearly indicate to all Christian families, that God will give a special blessing to those who duly honor the second Joseph, who is as superior to the former, as the substance is to the shadow? You then, heads of families, if you wish your children to be well brought up, if you wish to ensure peace in your married state, fidelity in your servants, patience in tribulations, in a word, if you desire that your household should be well regulated, and live in peace and tranquility, place it under the protection of him whom God has constituted head of the Holy Family. Let Joseph be your counselor, your steward, your example; God Himself has appointed him such for those who are engaged in the married state……

……Those who are charged with the instruction and education of children, are particularly called upon to choose St. Joseph as their guide and patron in an employment so useful to religion; since having been the master and guardian of the Most High, he has received from Him peculiar graces and favors for the protection of youth. The young Tobias had an angel as his guardian,but Jesus would have no other guardian than St. Joseph [no other earthly guardian recorded in Scripture, aside from being ministered to by angels during His agony. Beyond that, there is a great deal of speculation regarding the degree to which Heaven aided Christ at various points in His ministry, and whether, or to what degree, He enjoyed special/supernatural protections or aid]. Hence, the brothers of the Christian schools, and many other societies, have placed their schools, especially those for young children, under the special protection of St. Joseph. The interpreters of Scripture and ecclesiastical writers, have given him various names, as those of father, foster-father, guardian, guide of Jesus Christ. All these functions which he fulfilled towards an Infant-God, he still continues to exercise in favor of those colleges and seminaries which are entrusted to his paternal vigilance. Superiors and masters may learn of him the charity, prudence, vigilance, and the other virtues, requisite for governing well. On their side, likewise, the pupils may receive from the Child Jesus the most perfect examples of docility, respect, and love, towards their masters and superiors.

———–End Quote————

I can only repeat the great personal benefits I have received through devotion to St. Joseph, in both the material and spiritual sense. I cannot stress enough what great benefits derive from St. Joseph’s intercession, and what an ideal model he makes for fatherhood and as a husband. If you want to implement Ephesians v:25 appropriately, there is no greater model than St. Joseph. He loved Our Lady as perfectly as a man can, through His love for his Son, Jesus Christ.

Poland continues its rapid ascent to become the most Catholic country in the world. The lower house has passed a bill to ban most all Sunday shopping by 2020, and the Senate looks likely to approve. Amazingly, the bishop’s conference is somewhat opposed to the bill, because it does not, in their minds, go far enough. Can I imagine the USCCB taking such a strong, unequivocal stand? Not very easily:

Polish MPs have approved a bill that will phase out Sunday shopping by 2020.

Initially proposed by trade unions, the idea received the support of the ruling conservative Law and Justice Party, who want to allow workers to spend more time with their families.

The Sejm, the lower house of Poland’s parliament, passed the bill by 254 to 156 to restrict Sunday shopping to the first and last Sunday of the month until the end of 2018, only on the last Sunday in the month in 2019, and to ban it totally starting in 2020. It will still be permitted, however, on the Sundays before major holidays such as Christmas. Some bakeries and online shops will also be exempt.

The bill will now pass to the Senate, and then to President Andzrej Duda for approval.

In a statement, the Polish bishops’ conference said the bill did not go far enough, and that everyone should be free from work on Sundays.

I don’t disagree, excepting those who perform vital public services, such as doctors and nurses at hospitals, emergency workers, and, of course, muslim or Hindu 24 hour convenience store/gas station attendants.

Seriously, I still remember a time when, on Christmas day at least, the streets were pretty much empty. This would have been the late 80s, even after the Sunday blue laws had been repealed here in Texas (which I think happened around ’82 or ’83). The only places that were open were a few gas station/convenience stores staffed by surly Sikhs. How unimaginable it would have been, back then, at the height of the Cold War, to think that in 30 year’s time, formerly communist Poland would be leading at least some kind of Catholic restoration, while the United States and the West generally would be sinking into a soft leftist sexularist dystopia?

I don’t think these “extra” shopping days have boosted the economy at all, they’ve just transferred commerce from one day to another. I find especially grating all these “Black Friday” and “Day After Christmas” sales that start at noon on the holiday itself (and soon, will probably just subsume the entire holiday).

I think allowing shopping on Sunday has had a deleterious effect on the sanctity of the Lord’s Day and people’s appreciation of it. I think it’s helped peel people away from Christianity, which is probably why it was pushed in the first place. For most people, Sunday is just another day. It no longer has any special significance, except maybe during football season or because it’s the 2nd day of the weekend. There is little sense of family togetherness, even on a secular level, and barely any more religious significance to the day.

So good on the Poles for taking at least this first, partial step. Hopefully they will move forward even more to end all non-essential trade on Sundays.

That’s tomorrow, 11/29/17. Or you can start on the 30th and finish on the Feast day itself, instead of the vigil.

Prayer of the Novena of the Immaculate Conception

Immaculate Virgin Mary, you were pleasing in the sight of God from the first moment of your conception in the womb of your mother, St. Anne. You were chosen to be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I believe the teaching of holy Mother the Church, that in the first instant of your conception, by the singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race and beloved Son, you were preserved from all stain of original sin. I thank God for this wonderful privilege and grace he bestowed upon you as I honor your Immaculate Conception.

Look graciously upon me as I implore this special favor:(mention your request).

Virgin Immaculate, Mother of God and my Mother, from your throne in heaven turn your eyes of pity upon me. Filled with confidence in your goodness and power, I beg you to help me in this journey of life which is so full of dangers for my soul. I entrust myself entirely to you, that I may never be the slave of the devil through sin, but may always live a humble and pure life. I consecrate myself to you forever, for my only desire is to love your divine Son Jesus. Mary, since none of your devout servants has perished, May I too be saved. Amen.

Another version of the Novena is below, so that you may have your choice:

O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my holiness and salvation.

I pray first of all that you would make me worthy to call you my mother and your Son, Jesus, my Lord.

I pray that your prayers will bring me to imitate your holiness and submission to Jesus and the Divine Will.

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Stunning

Now, Queen of Heaven, I beg you to beg my Savior to grant me these requests…

(Mention your intentions)

My holy Mother, I know that you were obedient to the will of God. In making this petition, I know that God’s will is more perfect than mine. So, grant that I may receive God’s grace with humility like you.

As my final request, I ask that you pray for me to increase in faith in our risen Lord; I ask that you pray for me to increase in hope in our risen Lord; I ask that you pray for me to increase in love for the risen Jesus!

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

Finally, the Saint Andrew 25 day Novena for Christmas also starts tomorrow 11/30. The prayer is below, though I know you already know it:

The 25 day St. Andrew Novena starts today, Nov. 30. The prayer is as follows, pray it 15 times a day through Christmas Eve:

HAIL AND BLESSED BE THE HOUR AND MOMENT IN WHICH THE SON OF GOD WAS BORN OF THE MOST PURE VIRGIN MARY, AT MIDNIGHT, IN BETHLEHELM, IN PIERCING COLD.
IN THAT HOUR, VOUCHSAFE, O MY GOD, TO HEAR MY PRAYER AND GRANT MY PETITIONS,

(MENTION YOUR INTENTIONS HERE)

THROUGH THE MERITS OF OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST AND OF HIS BLESSED MOTHER. AMEN.

I typically just make an en bloc petition for the day for all 15 recitations. If you say them all together, it only takes a few minutes.

Sodomy – who am I to judge? Adulterers committing the gravest of sacrilege in sacrilegiously receiving the Blessed Sacrament – no problem. But denying the sacred doctrine of anthropocentric global cooling warming climate change – such perversion, such heresy!, has no place in the Church.

Rorate nailed it on the day after his election – welcome to the pontificate of Paul VI, redux:

Pope Francis on Thursday rebuked those who deny the science behind global warming and urged negotiators at climate talks in Germany to avoid falling prey to such “perverse attitudes” and instead accelerate efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions. [no major industrialized nation has reduced carbon emissions more over the past 10 years than has the United States. This was just reported a day or two ago. Even if the United States went back to a 17th century economy with the attendant death of 90+% of the population, carbon emissions worldwide would still grow rapidly due to the unabated output of India, China, and similar nations. The entire project, then, is just a joke.]

Francis issued a message to the Bonn meeting, which is working to implement the 2015 Paris accord aimed at capping global emissions. [And how many kilotons of carbon were spewed into the atmosphere by thousands of activists, plutocrats, and bureaucrats jetting into Bonn from around the world?] In it, Francis called climate change “one of the most worrisome phenomena that humanity is facing.” He urged negotiators to take action free of special interests and political or economic pressures, and to instead engage in an honest dialogue about the future of the planet. [For the leftist, “dialogue”=doing what I want. By “special interests,” Francis means those with very justifiable concerns not only about the faulty theory of human-caused climate change, but the murderous, impoverishing impact of sudden and draconian limits on emissions of what is an entirely natural substance]

Francis didn’t cite any countries by name, but the United States has announced it is withdrawing from the Paris accord, and President Donald Trump has nominated several people in his administration who question scientists’ conclusions that human activity is behind the global rise in temperatures. At the same time, the U.S. administration has promoted the use of fossil fuels like coal for U.S. energy needs.

In his landmark 2015 environmental encyclical, Francis said global warming is “mainly” due to human activity and he called for fossil fuels to be progressively phased out without delay. [Thus we have a Bishop of Rome, heir of St. Peter, endorsing, in a doctrinal document, a dubious and highly contentious scientific theorem. This will only turn out badly, and should global warming be decisively refuted by a mass return to sanity and de-funding of government-directed scientific propaganda “research,” it will be used by enemies of the Church forever anon.]

In his message, the Argentine pope denounced that efforts to combat climate change are often frustrated by those who deny the science behind it or are indifferent to it, those who are resigned to it or think it can be solved by technical solutions, which he termed “inadequate.” [Said the doctrinaire liberal with absolutely no scientific training or credibility]

“We must avoid falling into these four perverse attitudes, which certainly don’t help honest research and sincere, productive dialogue,” he said.

Well there you go, you perverts. You get the sense Francis is building towards something, a great and thorough rebuke of the Church That Was. I mean, the Vatican is issuing stamps celebrating the worst, most destructive heresy in the history of the Church. It seems more and more plausible this man wants a decisive, open break with the Church and the Tradition upon which it is founded. I mean much, much further than the things he’s already done. Something like nailing his own figurative 99 theses on the door of the Vatican, an open, unmistakable embrace of Protestantism and call for the Church to repent of its “errors.”

I don’t mean to become overwrought over this latest, relatively minor upturned middle phalanges at the dwindling number of faithful. It’s more the whole sweep of this pontificate, nearly 5 years old now, that I’m talking about.

I know this reminder is a bit early but it’s been in my queue for a few days and I’m afraid I’ll forget if it goes much longer. The Novena can start on Saturday the 18th or Sunday the 19th, the feast is on November 27. Typically I try to finish Novenas on the vigil of a feast but you can go your own way, just like Lindsey Buckingham says in one of the great kiss off songs of all time:

O Immaculate Virgin Mary,
Mother of Our Lord Jesus and our Mother,
penetrated with the most lively confidence in your all-powerful and never-failing intercession, manifested so often through the Miraculous Medal,
we your loving and trustful children implore you to obtain for us the graces and favors we ask during this novena,
if they be beneficial to our immortal souls,
and the souls for whom we pray.
(Here form your petition)

You know, O Mary, how often our souls have been the sanctuaries of your Son who hates iniquity.
Obtain for us then a deep hatred of sin and that purity of heart which will attach us to God alone so that our every thought, word and deed may tend to His greater glory.
Obtain for us also a spirit of prayer and self-denial that we may recover by penance what we have lost by sin and at length attain to that blessed abode where you are the Queen of angels and of men.
Amen.

Lordy I’ve been having my share of anxiety lately with a heart that goes bumpity bump, so this Novena is quite timely for me. My wife found this and sent it in.

UPDATE: Well, shame on me, I only read the first couple of days of the Novena before posting. Yikes, what a train wreck that turned out to be. I don’t know who is responsible for crafting this Novena, but it had some seriously deranged material. Rather than throw it all out, I edited out the objectionable content. I don’t know where anyone would get the idea that St. Therese either lost her faith – she never even came close, but she did experience extreme spiritual dryness, which is something altogether different – or that she contemplated suicide. Please. I read through it quick to edit it, if I find any more problems, I’ll scrap the whole thing.

Whatever problems one may have with the post-conciliar canonization process, especially John Paul II’s elimination of the office of devil’s advocate and requiring only a single miracle, I don’t think anyone can doubt the great sanctity of Monsieur Martin, patriarch of one of the holiest families in recent Church history. I’ve long had a devotion to most members of the family. I have great faith in his intercessory abilities.

The Novena is one of those lengthy ones with different prayers every day (and it’s really sad that Aleteia would turn this Novena into click bait, requiring hitting 9 different links (each one with an autoplay video and so many ads the page barely loads even in Chrome!) to get through it. C’mon folks, are we Catholic, or are money grubbing worldlings? To save the effort and frustrate a morally dubious tactic, I’m going to just post the whole thing).

This Novena is not tied to any particular feast; it can be prayed at any time.

Day 1

St. Louis, you knew great happiness and deep suffering, and in both you remained strong in faith. Help us to keep God in sight through our trials, even when we cry out with the Psalmist:

How long, O Lord?
Wilt thou forget me for ever?
How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? (Psalm 13)

O Lord, through the intervention of St. Louis Martin, lift up those who are suffering from depression, anxiety, dementia, and other mental problems and lead them out of the darkness and into Your light.

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Amen

Day 2

St. Louis, along with Zelie you filled your household with such love that it produced saints, but even great piety does not spare us from loss and the sadness that accompanies it. With those who mourn and grieve, we say

O Lord, through the intervention of St. Louis Martin, lift up those who are suffering from depression, anxiety, dementia, and other mental problems and lead them out of the darkness and into Your light.

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Amen

Day 3

St. Louis, you knew the challenge of a suffering soul. Carry our prayers to our Father in heaven that we may have peace in our hearts and in our lives.

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 32)

O Lord, through the intervention of St. Louis Martin, lift up those who are suffering from depression, anxiety, dementia, and other mental problems and lead them out of the darkness and into Your light.

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Amen

Day 4

St. Louis, your daughter Therese suffered a period of deep suffering and loss of spiritual consolations, yet she remained stalwart in faith. May we be there for others even in our own trials.

O Lord, through the intervention of St. Louis Martin, lift up those who are suffering from depression, anxiety, dementia, and other mental problems and lead them out of the darkness and into Your light.

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Amen

Day 5

St. Louis, may those around us remember what your daughter St. Therese wrote: “A word or a smile is often enough to put fresh life in a despondent soul.” Give strength to the loved ones and caregivers of those who struggle with mental problems.

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my help and my God. (Psalm 42)

O Lord, through the intervention of St. Louis Martin, lift up those who are suffering from depression, anxiety, dementia, and other mental problems and lead them out of the darkness and into Your light.

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Amen

Day 6

St. Louis, like you, may we unite our suffering to that of Christ, and be close to Him as we carry our own crosses.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34)

O Lord, through the intervention of St. Louis Martin, lift up those who are suffering from depression, anxiety, dementia, and other mental problems and lead them out of the darkness and into Your light.

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Amen

Day 7

St. Louis, your family, fiends, and caretakers gave you support and loving kindness through your illness. Help those around us — strangers and friends — to open their eyes to those suffering mental anguish and reach out with the love of good Samaritan to bind their wounds and lift them up.

I am bowed and brought to my knees.
I go mourning all the day long.
Spent and utterly crushed,
I cry aloud in anguish of heart.
O Lord, do not forsake me!
My God, do not stay far off!
Make haste and come to help,
O Lord, my God, my savior! (Psalm 38)

O Lord, through the intervention of St. Louis Martin, lift up those who are suffering from depression, anxiety, dementia, and other mental problems and lead them out of the darkness and into Your light.

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Day 8

St. Louis, you trusted in the Lord although it must have seemed at times that He was silent in the face of your trials. May we always trust that the God of love can never forget us, even when we feel most forgotten.

But I have trusted in thy steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me. (Psalm 13)

O Lord, through the intervention of St. Louis Martin, lift up those who are suffering from depression and lead them out of the darkness and into Your light.

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

Day 9

St. Louis, pray for us, and for all those who suffer depression, mental illness, and anxiety, as well as for those who care for them.

I will heal my people and lead them;
I will give full comfort
To them and to those who mourn for them,
I, the Creator, who gave them life.
Peace, peace to the far and the near,
Says the Lord;
And I will heal them. (Isaiah 57)

O Lord, through the intervention of St. Louis Martin, lift up those who are suffering from depression, anxiety, dementia, and other mental problems and lead them out of the darkness and into Your light.

So says Father Albert of the traditional Dominicans of Belgium in the question and answer video below from The Fatima Center.

The question as originally asked is a bit on the silly side, asking if God can bodily resurrect those bodies that have been reduced to ashes through cremation. Goodness. God is the Lord and Creator of the universe, of all that is, was, and ever shall be – if one decided to ride a Mk 17 20 MT nuclear bomb down to initiation a la Colonel Kong in Dr. Strangelove so that not even components of atoms remained after death, God could still resurrect that body. God’s power is infinitely greater than our puny human acts, and nothing we could possibly do could ever interrupt His Will.

Having said that, on a philosophical, moral, and theological level, there are severe problems with the entire concept of cremation, which is why the Church opposed the practice for centuries. Indeed, from a standpoint of historical etymology, cremation was first advanced by several anti-Catholic sects during the long history of the Church as a way to deny core Catholic Doctrines, such as the Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension and His role as our unique Savior.

Father expounds at some length on the dual nature of the human person, that of the soul united to the body, and the unique role each plays in man’s natural and supernatural existence. In this present life, the supernatural is more confined to the soul, and initially after death we shall be disembodied souls, but after the general Resurrection, both shall be united and we shall be complete, in a sense, again. This is the promise revealed to us by divinely inspired and inerrant Scripture, and the constant belief and practice of the Faith. But even more, from a standpoint of logic, man was created by God out of matter to have a physical body, and shall not be complete after death until body and soul are reunited. Thus, man’s ultimate end cannot be achieved until this Resurrection has taken place.

Note that the increased permission for cremation was tied into the general collapse of moral, theological, and ecclesiastical standards that were ushered in under John XXIII, even before the disastrous Council of the 1960s. It can never be stated enough, Vatican II was not orchestrated in a vacuum, while much sleight of hand, subterfuge, and even immoral methods may have been used to produce the various approved documents, approved they were, and almost unanimously by thousands of bishops who should have, must have, known better. Wheels were flying off all over the place even before the first session met. But of course Vatican II advanced this process immensely, solidified it, and left us with a human element of the Church as broken as it has ever been.

Ranting to the choir, I am. However, while there were hugely impacting individual elements of the 1960s conciliar revolution, much of the damage to the faith of millions came from a sort of death of a thousand cuts. Cremation may, taken entirely by itself, not have a huge impact on the belief and practice of many Catholics (at the same time, however, it may well) who opt for it, but as part of a general process of disbelief, rejection of Tradition, and acceptance of cultural mores, it just becomes one more injury to the foundation of faith. And in the present context, where tens of millions of self-described practicing Catholics are, in actuality, practicing heretics if not outright apostates, this practice can be a warning sign of seriously deranged belief.

I think Father Albert sums it up quite well when he says cremation is implicitly a negation of faith in the bodily resurrection and a dangerous, disordered practice.

There are Masses all day tomorrow at Mater Dei Latin Mass parish in Irving, TX. So let not lack of convenient times be an issue to prevent anyone from earning indulgences for the poor holy souls in Purgatory!

I assume readers already know the requirements to earn a plenary indulgence for the souls in Purgatory. But if you need a reminder, go here.

Thank you all for your continuing prayers. I have missed a great deal in recent weeks but really wanted to encourage folks to take advantage of the wonderful spiritual work of mercy offered by the traditional priests of Mater Dei in making Mass, and the plenary indulgences, so convenient for all on this so very important day. Most all of us, if we are so blessed, will be in great need of such prayers one day, and our generosity now will certainly be repaid by the intercession of the Saints released from Purgatory through our prayers tomorrow!

If you know of other parishes, local or otherwise, with special Masses for tomorrow, you might be doing someone a great favor by posting that info in the comments. Thank you for your generosity.